February 19

The first studies on fossil fuel burning are published and the 'Cod Wars' escalate.

Feb. 19, 1859:Svante Arrhenius is born in Vik, Sweden. Trained in both physics and chemistry, Aarhenius published a peer-reviewed paper in 1896 that is widely recognized as one of the first studies of the potential impacts of fossil fuel burning on the climate.

Feb. 19, 1976: Iceland breaks off diplomatic relations with the U.K. in the ongoing "Cod Wars" Since the 1950s, the two nations have feuded — with shots fired on a few occasions — over British fishing vessels entering waters claimed by Iceland.

Feb.19, 1995: The Raleigh News & Observer begins a five-part series titled "Boss Hog: The Power of Pork." Reporters Pat Stith, Joby Warrick and Melanie Sill examine the growing political influence of industrial hog farms (at right) in North Carolina, and the growing problems with pollution from those farms. The series wins the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

Feb. 19, 2012: Nina Federoff, in her farewell speech as President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, tells 8,000 convention attendees that the world is entering a “Dark Ages” of anti-science fervor.